Saintly Traditions
While saints are not necessarily miracle workers, they are upheld as important exemplars of Davite behavior; they are considered to be divinely inspired in their worship of the Lord of the Springs. Although it is not a formal or required practice, a popular custom in the Order has become for priests to serve in the traditions of the different saints. While some will dedicate themselves primarily to a single tradition, many others move through different traditions at different stages in their lives or even rotate between service in various saintly traditions on a regular basis.
Each saintly tradition exemplifies a different aspect of worship, all of which are considered important. It is expected that different priests will serve in different ways, and those who follow different traditions are merely fulfilling a different need, rather than failing to live up to the code of another tradition.
Each tradition follows the teachings learned from a different saint:
Aelwynite Tradition - Following in the path of Saint Aelwyn, priests who take up this tradition help to root out corruption within the faithful and those who seek to hide among them. They are often Inquisitors and pay special mind to the taint of sins, especially magic.
Baccan Tradition - Following the example of Saint Bacca, priests in this tradition take it upon themselves to solve physical problems with hands-on work and emotional and spiritual problems with understanding counsel.
Celestine Tradition - Following after Saint Celeste, priests adhering to this tradition rely on quiet contemplation and prayer, emphasizing personal faith and spirituality. They often make use of isolation from the hecticness of life to reflect on solutions to the world's problems.
Danijelian Tradition - This tradition, following after the sacrifice of Saint Danijel, is not considered a regular path, but instead an answer to dire straits in pursuit of a solution to a specific problem. When following this tradition, one puts aside personal comforts, needs and safety to address a serious problem through whatever means it takes. It is a call to give one's life for the cause if necessary.
Franciscan Tradition - As did Saint Francis, priests who follow this tradition give themselves and their wealth to the service of those less fortunate. This often means service to the orphanages or the poor.
Jaridanian Tradition - Following the example of Saint Jaridan, the priests following this tradition devote themselves to attempts to bring the faith to those who do not believe. It is especially prevalent in those who travel away from civilized lands to do missionary work to such places as the Charali Plains or the Hills.
Remielite Tradition - Following the example of Saint Remiel, priests devoting themselves to this tradition look to the importance of maintaining scriptures and holy words. They consider it their places to read, document and interpret, leaving a rich scholarly tradition for priests to come.
Thean Tradition - This tradition, following after the inspiration of Saint Thea, emphasizes the importance of the priests who follow it in inspiring their congregations. It encourages the use of hymns, religious plays and artwork in demonstrating the importance of different religious aspects, helping to create the Order's rich artistic tradition.
Davite Pilgrim Tradition - As called for in Dav's declarations, those taking up this tradition pilgrimage to the Holy Spring. It is rarely followed in a dedicated manner by those who do nothing else, but some of those who serve the pilgrims to the Spring on a permanent basis consider themselves to be fully dedicated in the Davite Pilgrim Tradition. More frequently, the tradition is taken up on a yearly basis as a departure from other service.
Royal Davite Tradition - Not quite a standard tradition, this is instead a way to indicate that the patriarch of the Holy Order is following in the tradition of King Dav. Until recent years the Queen or King, even with the shift away from the monarchy, the patriarchy still holds itself responsible for the guidance and leadership of the faithful world. This tradition is only followed by the patriarch and exemplifies the idea that the patriarch is serving the Lord of the Spring through rulership, in the tradition of Dav himself.
Ahalin Tradition - This tradition follows the example of Saint Paynifier Ahalin. This is not one that is typically followed by common priests but is instead followed by knights of the Knights Lithmorran. They work tirelessly to see that the Order's interests within the kingdom are served and that the population in general is protected from the spread of heresy and taint. They also dedicate themselves to discipline and honor.
